State of Texas: It’s Getting Hot In Here

The Polar Vortex that descended over parts of the United States in early January brought not only frigid temperatures but also a new round of skepticism about climate change. Talk show host Rush Limbaugh said the cold weather proved that climate changes is a “hoax.” Despite the occasional cold snap, average temperatures across Texas are going up. Nearly every city in Texas sees fewer freezes now than it did in the 1970s. And average temperatures in Austin have gradually risen in the past 50 years.

Sources: Climate Central; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Illustration by by Joanna Wojtkowiak